BVI Among Major FDI Sources for New Zealand

According to the information of New Zealand’s lobby group, foreign direct investment (ownership of companies) in the country increased by 653% from $15.7 billion in 1989 to $113 billion in 2017. Most assets are owned by businesses from Australia, and the British Virgin Islands also are among the major investors along with the US, Hong Kong, the UK, Japan, Singapore, Netherlands, Canada, Cayman Islands, and a number of other countries.

By words of Bill Rosenberg of the Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA), "All had over $100m in foreign direct investment in New Zealand. These accounted for 95 per cent of foreign direct investment in New Zealand and Australia alone accounts for 51 per cent. Luxembourg, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands are tax havens, and the Netherlands has been used to avoid tax." 

He also said that foreign owned entities keep control of 38% of the share market of New Zealand in 2017, while in 1989 it was 19%. Last year, the Overseas Investment Office approved foreign investments in the country in the amount of $5.3 billion.